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Kenny Bednarek Completes Sprint Double at Ultimate Championship

By Drooid · Sep 14, 2026, 2:23 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Bednarek Wins Double

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won the women’s 100 m in 10.62 seconds.
Kenny Bednarek won the men’s 100 m in 9.85 seconds.
Bednarek then claimed the men’s 200 m in 19.52 seconds, completing a sprint double.
Each champion earned $150,000, giving them $300,000 total prize money.
The Ultimate Championship offered a $10 million prize pool and no medals.

Summary

USA Sets Relay Record

Kenny Bednarek ran 19.52 seconds in the 200 m, moving to seventh on the world all-time list.
The USA mixed 4×100 m relay posted 39.64 seconds, the second-fastest time ever recorded.
Ronnie Baker said the trophy feels heavy and joked about keeping it away from his child.
Jamaica finished second in the mixed relay with 39.72 seconds, after winning last year’s World Relays.

Summary

Jefferson-Wooden Chooses Lane

The championship introduced a 200 m lane-draft system that lets athletes select semifinal lanes strategically.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden chose lane six to line up directly opposite Olympic champion Gabby Thomas in the women’s draw.
Usain Bolt reportedly praised Jefferson-Wooden’s performance, saying he was proud of her effortless display.
The event featured a red-carpet segment where stars like Simon Ehammer posed in lifestyle attire for media content.

History

Historical Context

The 1991 athletics season unfolded as the United States withdrew 540,000 troops from the Gulf War and signed the U.S.–Canada Acid Rain Treaty, marking a year of expanding international budgets and cooperation. That environment helped pave the way for larger prize pools in track events, a precedent the modern Ultimate Championship follows with its amplified payouts.

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Bednarek Wins Double

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won the women’s 100 m in 10.62 seconds.
Kenny Bednarek won the men’s 100 m in 9.85 seconds.
Bednarek then claimed the men’s 200 m in 19.52 seconds, completing a sprint double.
Each champion earned $150,000, giving them $300,000 total prize money.
The Ultimate Championship offered a $10 million prize pool and no medals.

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